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Transcript Provided by New York Jets
On if Monday can come fast enough…
I don’t think so. I think everybody would rather be playing on Sunday, but that’s the way the schedule goes. We get an extra day to prepare. Unfortunately, it’s another day for that loss to sit with you, but that’s part of the game. You play long enough, sometimes those games happen, and there’s no excuse for them, so we have to bounce back.
On Houston’s defense…
They’re tough. J.J. Watt looks great. (Brian) Cushing, former roommate and good friend of mine, looks good. In the secondary, a really improved group with (Johnathan) Joseph and (Kareem) Jackson, so it’s a heck of a group. We’re going to have our work cut out for us, just like every week. We’re excited about the challenge.
On Justin Tuck’s comment about injuries…
He’s obviously entitled to his opinion, but nobody’s cancelling our game on Monday, we got to go. Nobody wants to see Darelle (Revis) Santonio (Holmes), Dustin (Keller) and Stephen Hill out, but at the same time, Kyle Wilson isn’t shying away from the opportunity. I know Chaz Schilens, Jeremy Kerley and Clyde Gates, all of those guys, they’re not shying away. They’re not backing down from any kind of challenge. It’s a good test for all of us, myself included. We have to elevate our play and make each other better, be accountable to each other and be sharp.
On playing on a Monday night…
It’s great. It’s fun. Everybody back home watches and you get the music (the) Monday night music, going and all that. It’ll be a great atmosphere and we’re excited to play at home.
On Coach Ryan’s praise of Holmes’ ability to separate and if his absence changes the game plan…
I mean Clyde has some real speed. Chaz is deceptive with his speed and J.K. (Kerley) can really run. I don’t know if I totally agree with that. He (Coach Ryan) is a defensive guy. Maybe he’s putting it out there as a challenge for us, that’s ok. We’ll be sharp and it’s my job to put the ball in the right spot and give them a chance to run after the catch.
On bouncing back from a bad day…
I think it’s just part of your personality. We have a lot of guys in here, a lot of good competitors. If you’re a good competitor, you come back. You come back swinging. You come back fighting and the only way to do that is have a great week of practice. I’m thrilled about our effort the last couple of days and we have to keep working and nail it down for Monday.
On performing as a quarterback without your best receiver…
There’s just no time to waste thinking about, ‘Aww, that’s just too bad and I really wish we could, or what if. I don’t have time. There’s really no time in the week to think about it, so I just don’t. I think about the guys we have. I go over the film with those guys. We talk as much as we can, getting new guys in with (Jason) Hill, the new Hill. It’s a constant effort and a constant process of getting guys ready to play. If somebody goes down, next man up.
On if he personally thinks he has to do more to be better after losing Holmes…
I think there’s a fine line. You want to be your best, but at the same time, (if) you try and do too much, you could get into a little trouble. Stay within the system and let the offense work for you, count on these guys to get open, and they’ll count on me to deliver the football.
On working with Kerley and Schilens this week…
I mean, they know the system. They know the routes. We’re just moving guys around and trying to put guys in positions to be successful. I think that’s more of what we’re after, just repping those situations, repping those exact formations and just going over them again and again to make sure it’s second nature when they’re out there so they’re not thinking too much and they can just play. Run fast and play, be in the right spot.
On if he does extra work with the wide receivers…
Yeah, anything, whether it’s on the field, in the classroom, everything. Just a couple of minutes going over (plays), talking, getting their input, and telling them exactly what I expect. They’ll be right. I trust them to be right.
On if building chemistry with the new receivers is hard…
I don’t worry about how hard it is, I guess. You just have to do it. We have to do it. We have to make it work. We’re expected to play well, no matter who is in there. Coach (Ryan) always says, “When somebody goes down, it’s the next man up.” It’s their job to step up and play well, know what to do, understand the system and the game plan, and they’re doing that. They’re working hard. I’m proud of the way they’re attacking this opportunity.
On bouncing back from a bad game…
I think it’s just part of your personality. Whenever you don’t perform your best, the next game can’t come soon enough. You can’t prepare enough the next week. Whenever you make a bad throw you want to get the next one under way and make it happen. I think that’s just the way I am. I’ve been fortunate to have a great team around me. (They’re) tough guys that want to do the same thing, that want to bounce back, so it’s not like I’m alone. (If not), then it would be a lot harder. These guys want to play well right beside me, so it feels good.
On dealing with the pressure…
I think it’s just another opportunity. Nobody expects it to work. Nobody expects it to go right. Nobody expects us to win, and that’s fine. I’ve been in situations like that before. I’m confident I can handle it, and there’s only one way in my mind to go about it, and that’s really attack it. Get after it, give it 100 percent and (we) never want to look back and say ‘Man, I wish I would have done that. (We) just leave it all out there and continue to give our best effort and be as sharp as possible.
On if he feels threatened about his job…
I don’t feel threatened to lose my job at all anyway. It’s no different if it’s Tim, (Mark) Burnell, or Kellen (Clemens), that doesn’t change.
On if the dynamic is different…
No. I’m really not worried about it.
On how he can improve his accuracy…
No doubt. Have I missed some throws this year? Absolutely. When I look at the tape there’s a bunch of throws each game, a handful of them that you want back. Those are the ones I can control. The other ones after that, we have to be in the right spot. We have to keep fighting get open at the wide receiver position. (We have to) be sharp with our landmarks. I have to control what I can, and that’s meeting with these guys extra and make sure we’re on the same page so there’s no questionsgoing into the game. They’ll be in the right spot and leave it to me to deliver the ball.
On if throwing one incompletion in practice yesterday matters…
Oh, it mattered. I think those practice throws matter. I think we have to take advantage of those throws. (If) you hit them in practice, then you usually hit them in the game. That’s what we’re after and it was a good day yesterday and another good day today. We have to keep it up. We have two more days that we really have to take advantage of our prep and look sharp.
On if he feels the need to do more coaching with the young receiving group…
A little bit. I think more of it’s in the classroom and just being together, studying together. When we get on the field, there’s little reminders and tags here and there. You also can’t be a pacifier to them. You can only do so much because then it takes you away from what you’re doing. I know Coach Sanjay (Lal) will hear me give a tag, ‘Hey don’t forget its third-and-seven, make sure your route is the right depth. Make sure you get all eight yards. Don’t cut it short, don’t shave, do this, do that. Be friendly on this in route.’ They’re good tags and stuff, maybe during training camp, but Sanjay’s pushing me to not say anything because he needs to know when those guys don’t know that. Naturally, I want to tell them and remind them, but at the same time I (have) to trust them just like they trust me. They’re not talking to me in the huddle, “Hey, don’t forget it’s a three-step drop here.” They don’t say stuff like that, so I have to trust them to be in the right spot, and I do. These guys are working hard. It’s on me to keep leading them and give them the best opportunity they can to catch and run.
On what he expects from the receivers…
The important thing is just to be in the right spot at the right time, whatever it says on the piece of paper. If it’s 15 yards, it means 15, and whether you’re press, whether the guy’s off, it’s first-and-ten, third-and-ten. You have to be in the right spot. After that, catch the ball. Coach (Tony) Sparano always says catching the ball is 33 percent of your job. The rest is blocking and running after the catch. They have a lot on their plate too. We’ve set a high standard for those guys and they’ll meet it.
On how he prevents himself from getting frustrated…
You have to keep repping it and it’s a process. You have to keep understanding that you have to control what you can. I trust those guys to be there. I’m going to keep throwing it to the right spot and I have faith in Chaz and J.K. and Jeff Cumberland playing well. I thought Jeff played well last week. All of these guys have to step up and they’re ready for this challenge.
On having support from the team…
It’s great. I’m not being rude to anybody, but I expect that. All the work and effort I’ve put in, they know how bad I want it. When it doesn’t go right I’m the first to step up and say, ‘Hey man, that wasn’t my best and it wasn’t right. I’ll get it right.’ They understand that and it’s my job to keep pushing and leading.
On Bill Parcell’s comment that the mark of a quarterback is when things go wrong…
Absolutely. It’s easy to be the quarterback when you’ve scored 48 points or whatever we scored our first game, that’s easy. If you can’t be a quarterback then, run away now. This is the time when you’re 2-2, people think you’re about to turn the corner for the worst, and (you have to) make it better. Keep improving and keep working. It’s easy to do that when you have good leaders around me with (Nick) Mangold, (Brandon) Moore, those guys up front. I think Shonn Greene is real hungry, Bilal Powell, all of those guys are hungry. They’re excited to get back to work and get this running game going and keep working in the receiving corps to get the passing game going too. That makes it fun for me.
On the leaders on the team…
There’s plenty of guys, and to be honest, there’s not a ton of vocal guys. A lot of guys just work by example, and that’s fine too. There’s a lot of guys like Y.B. (Yeremiah Bell), Calvin Pace, who just come in early. They’re here early in the morning. They’re taking care of their body. They’re studying extra film. They stay late. They’re in there getting extra workouts, lifting, keeping their body in shape. Guys know they’re not doing this just for fun, it’s serious to them. Those are the kind of leaders we need too. When somebody has to step up and say something sometimes it’s me, sometimes its Mangold or Brandon Moore, whoever it needs to be. I think we have a good group and great chemistry in here, so we know how to win. We’ve won here, so we’ll just keep doing it.
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On if he is looking forward to Monday after all that has happened this week…
Well, we’re definitely excited. (We) wanted to be on Monday Night Football to play a great team, the Texans, (and) to get that bad taste out of our mouth as well.
On losing two starters over the last week…
You can never replace two players like that and all the players that we’ve lost. More guys have to step up and collectively, together, we just have to pick up our game and do a little bit more.
On Mark Sanchez losing his number one receiver for the season…
It definitely makes it difficult because it’s someone that he’s practiced with three years now (or) something like that. It’s someone that is a great receiver, he’s a great playmaker for you, and the timing, he’s been working with him all offseason, all training camp, (and) all regular season (on it). It’s definitely difficult.
On if his role will increase this week…
I’m just ready and anxious for when my number’s called, to just try to help this team. (It’s) the same attitude I’ve had the whole time. When my number’s called, (I) just want to have competitive excellence to help these guys.
On if he has discussed his role increasing with the coaches…
No, just whenever they ask me. So, you never know.
On the Texans defense…
Yeah, they’re a very good defense. They make a lot of plays, they’re very sound, it’s hard to get over the top (and) they have a lot of great playmakers up front. They just make plays and they’re consistent in that, and there’s a lot to be said about that.
On if the offense will have to be creative running the ball against the Texans…
They’re tough against the run, they’re tough against play action, they’re tough against straight dropbacks, so they do a lot of things well. I think you just have to be effective on first and second down and get third-and-medium and third-and-short and find ways to convert.
On if it’s still special to play on Monday Night Football…
Absolutely. It’s going to be very exciting. I think we’ll be fired up, we’ll be ready to go. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
On if quarterbacks have different personalities than other players…
I don’t know if you have a different personality. I think you just have to be definitely mentally tough and prepared to handle a lot of different situations.
On if quarterbacks get used to being the person everyone runs to when they win or lose…
I think one thing is, as a quarterback, you can’t read, watch and look at everything because a lot can be said about you to make you look too good when it’s going well, and a lot is going to be said about you to make you look a lot worse than you really are when it’s not going great. It’s always somewhere in the middle. It’s never as good as it seems, it’s never as bad as it seems, and you have to keep that in perspective.
On if he got used to taking responsibility for the outcome of games as he grew up…
I think it’s definitely through experience. It definitely helps going through situations. Growing up, playing Pop Warner, high school, college (and) now into the NFL, you definitely learn along the way, for sure.
On the report that he was frustrated with the lack of involvement in the offense…
I honestly haven’t watched too much of it. But no, I haven’t talked to anybody or said anything. You all are the only ones I’ve talked to.
On if he is frustrated…
No. Yeah, you get frustrated when you lose football games. I think everyone in the locker room (was frustrated). When you lose games you’re a little frustrated, but I think that’s natural. Other than that, (I’m) just trying to work hard (and) get better. We’re 2-2. It’s not the end, (the) season’s not over yet. We have a big game this week Monday night, and we just have to get a little bit better and be prepared and go out there and execute, and put together a great game plan.
On if he feels he can offer the offense more…
I just want to come out here and have a great week of practice and execute when they ask me to practice. When I get opportunities in the game, (I) just try to do a good job, and whatever my role is, do it to the best of my ability.
On the crowd chanting his name…
I try not to pay attention to it. (I) just stay focused in the moment (and) how I can help the team, whether that’s on the field or on the sidelines. Whatever I can do, encouraging Mark, talking through the game plan, looking at pictures, whatever that is.
On if he was told he would have a bigger role when he was traded…
I don’t know. They didn’t tell me specifically anything. You work, and you try to compete and do the best you can. Whatever they ask you to do, for me, I just try to do it with all my heart.
On if he can sympathize with the pressure on Sanchez…
I think one thing is, as a quarterback, it’s never as good as it seems when everything’s going well, and it’s never as bad as it seems when everything’s going bad. I think it’s always somewhere right there in the middle. That’s something we just have to keep in perspective. Everyone has to do a better job on this team to win football games, especially (after) last Sunday. The blame doesn’t fall on one person.
On if he enjoys being the backup quarterback because he doesn’t have to deal with the pressure…
That’s not how I view it at all. Whether dealing with it or not dealing with it, that’s my dream since I was a boy was to play quarterback. It wasn’t to worry about scenarios like that.
On if he’s frustrated with his inability to help the team…
I definitely want to help the team with whatever they ask me to do. When I get a few plays, I want to make them more effective.
On if he wants more plays…
When I get asked to do something, I want to do it well.
On if he wants to yell like on the sidelines in Denver, “Nobody gets the ball but me in the redzone”…
(laughter) I don’t know, you might have seen that in NFL films or something.
On if he has gone into Coach Sparano’s office and demanded more playing time…
No, I haven’t.
On if he has had to fight the thought of demanding more playing time…
No, you just know your role, and at that time, it’s not your role. You’re not on the field to do anything. It’s your role to try to be the best supporter, leader, coach, whatever you can be. When you get opportunities, make the most of them.
On if he expected the Wildcat to be more effective than it’s been…
I wish we could have, in the past few games, broken out a few times and had some bigger plays, yeah.
On if he expected to hear his name chanted…
I wasn’t anticipating it or thinking about it or focusing on it whatsoever.
On if the Wildcat is a catch-22…
No, I don’t really think like that, either. I just, honestly, try to stay focused on my role and stick to that. When I’m asked to do something, do it well, and be prepared for whenever they call my role to do anything.
On if he’s taken more reps in practice this week…
No.
On if it has been a typical week…
Yeah, (a) normal week.
On if he thought he might get into the game for Sanchez on Sunday…
There was no sign of that or anything, so I just try to be prepared. We had more packages in for different things like we’ve been showing throughout the games, so I was prepared for that.
On if he’d like to get in for a whole series…
I just would love to do whatever they want me to do and try to be as prepared as I can for those opportunities and those moments when they do come.
On if he heard the fans chanting his name…
That’s something I heard, but I wasn’t paying attention to it or focusing on it.
On not focusing on the fans chanting his name…
You worry about what you can control and what matters at the time, not what the fans are saying. (You focus on) how you can help this team, how you can be a part of this team. Focusing on what they’re chanting isn’t the right thing.
On if he feels he has grown as a passer…
I do. I honestly do. I feel like I’ve definitely grown this offseason as a passer, just (sitting) in the pocket, going through progressions, going through reads, the timing, all sorts of things like that.
On how much time he gets to work on throwing mechanics during the season…
You get time to work some, but so much of it was game planning and timing with the receivers on certain things, so it’s not always easy. We still work on it some.
On how Denver went to the playoffs last season after starting 1-4…
(By) believing. Believing in each other, showing signs of great thing here and there, feeding off of that (and) then catching on to the momentum when it came. The game when we play is so much about momentum, getting that momentum, believing in it and when you have it, doing great things, and when you don’t have that momentum, finding a place. Someone is stepping up to make a play and getting that momentum. A lot of times that came in the fourth quarter, but we were so close together as a team and then you just believe. Someone steps up to make a play and there’s the ‘here we go again-type attitude.’ That was our mindset.
On if Coach Ryan believes in the team…
He really does. He believes in his players, his system and his scheme. I think that’s great. He really is someone that exudes a lot of confidence in his players and his coaches. I think that’s a great quality.
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